Posts Tagged ‘C.P. Dunphey’

The human body has long been the enemy of horror films. One only has to look as early as THE INVISIBLE MAN or THE WOLFMAN for manifestations of physical forms undergoing irrevocable change. But the body horror genre encompasses three distinct variations of organic terror: invasion via disease or decomposition, violation through mutilation or penetration, and transformation from areconstitution of biology.

Body horror? Yes, today’s email includes an announcement from Gehenna & Hinnom Editor/Publisher C.P. Dunphey that Shane Ramirez’s “Deconstructing Body Horror,” part of which is quoted above, as originally published in SOUNDONSIGHT.ORG and POPTOPIQ.COM has been selected as the introduction for YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR 2017 ANTHOLOGY, the contents page for the rest of which has appeared below (cf. August 10, also September 18, 13, et al.). This is a large book at 400-some pages, with forty-plus stories, expected out on September 30 and available for e-copy pre-order by pressing here. And my cut in the carnage? A story called “Flesh,” the surrealistic tale of a man of means and a nightmare-based need of a weighty nature.

The gravitational assist trajectories at Jupiter were successfully carried out by both Voyagers, and the two spacecraft went on to visit Saturn and its system of moons and rings. Voyager 1 encountered Saturn in November 1980, with the closest approach on November 12, 1980, when the space probe came within 124,000 kilometers (77,000 mi) of Saturn’s cloud-tops. The space probe’s cameras detected complex structures in the rings of Saturn, and its remote sensing instruments studied the atmospheres of Saturn and its giant moon Titan. (Wikipedia, “Voyager 1”)

Two items occurred to me to close out the weekend, the first that there were space probes prior to Cassini (cf. September 17, 11, 7), including Voyagers 1 and 2 which also paid a visit to Saturn. Launched 16 days apart in 1972, Voyager 1 was actually the second, but was on a trajectory that had it reaching Saturn first, performing flybys of not just Saturn and Titan, but also the moons Tethys, Mimas, Enceladus, Rhea, and Hyperion. And while Voyager 2 also went on to Uranus and Neptune, on August 12 2012 Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space. Also, unlike Cassini, both Voyagers continue to journey outward.

So, why my interest? Thirteen years after Voyager 1 and Saturn, a story of mine, one marking a breakthrough in my writing in my opinion, appeared in the July 1993 edition of Algys Budrys’s short-lived magazine TOMORROW. Titled “Moons of Saturn,” it told of a couple watching a detailed series of news items on TV of the Voyager mission as it might have been, bringing in also the mythical origins of the moons’ names. Added to this are fancied adventures on, e.g., the “jewel mines of Rhea,” these conducted through dreams or, possibly, astral projection, all through which the woman, Phoebe, named for one of the moons herself, grows progressively weaker as the man (“Enceladus,” as named by Phoebe) attempts to find a cure. This latter possibly with tones of vampirism. . . .

And the thing is (or, here comes the plug!), while TOMORROW and its electronic successor TOMORROW SF are now long gone, “Moons of Saturn” has been reprinted in my collection THE TEARS OF ISIS. For more information, or possible purchase, just press its picture in the center column.

Then one more item in the life of the writer: Gehenna and Hinnom Editor/Publisher C.P. Dunphey emailed that the payment for my story in THE YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR 2017 ANTHOLOGY (see September 13, August 10, May 8) has been sent to Paypal — a thing good to know since Paypal seems no longer to bother to tell people themselves when they’ve received money. The story in question here is called “Flesh” — and like “Moons of Saturn” may be a little on the surreal side although with a more domestic setting — and also a reprint originally published in Spring 1999 in MAELSTROM SPECULATIVE FICTION. THE YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR can be pre-ordered now, by pressing here, in anticipation of a September 30 publication date.

Can’t resist reprinting this just-received press release from Gehenna & Hinnom (seeing as how I’m mentioned in it): MISSISSIPPI, September 30th, 2017: C.P. Dunphey, critically acclaimed author of PLANE WALKER, has collected 40+ stories from the best up-and-coming authors in horror for Gehenna & Hinnom’s debut collection, THE YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR 2017 ANTHOLOGY. From Bram Stoker Award-nominated authors like James Dorr, to bestselling science fiction authors like David Beers, the anthology presents no shortage of entertaining visceral horror.

Coming off the heels of an incredibly successful first two issues of HINNOM MAGAZINE — one an H.P. Lovecraft-themed memorial collection — Gehenna & Hinnom launches itself into Late-September with unprecedented anticipation for their Body Horror Anthology. From tales of infectious diseases rotting flesh to cosmic horror stories of perversion and mysticism, horror readers of all audiences will love this collection.

But more to the immediate point, here is the announcement late yesterday from Editor/Publisher C.P Dunphey: We are excited to announce that the Body Horror Anthology is live for pre-order in digital formats! The release date is still set for September 30th for both print and e-book, and we are excited to unleash this behemoth into the world.

At 400 pages, this will be a big book (cf. August 10 for a contents listing, May 8), with a pre-order price for the Kindle edition at $4.99. And as noted above, both print and electronic versions will be physically out at the end of the month. My part in this one is a slightly surrealistic tale called “Flesh,” of a man of wealth who has a weight problem, but perhaps not the kind one might first think.

So if you can’t wait (and who could blame you?) to pre-order now press here.

What is it with lists? I’ve had too many lately, probably, but this is a major one to round out the month with. From the GEHENNA POST, “43 Underrated Films from the Darker Side of Cinema You’ve Probably Never Seen,” with plot descriptions from IMDb plus links to Amazon (though, of the latter, mostly Blu-ray ones, but peons like me can click from there to mere DVD). To quote from the site: In this list, you will find 43 films that we felt are lacking in recognition and that deserve more appreciation and acknowledgement. These films are in no particular order. There are a few foreign language films, but we are planning an entirely different list for them (so don’t be disappointed at the lack of representation just yet!), seeing as there are so many great pieces out there from across the world.

Appetite whetted? I will say there are some I haven’t seen myself, including the one pictured here, LAST SHIFT. Also, while mostly horror, a fair number of them are science fiction — or mostly science fiction. But to see for yourself, press here.

It’s either going to be a big, big book or a lot of the stories will be rather short, but Gehenna & Hinnom’s upcoming YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR (cf. May 8) looks like it’s going to be exciting reading. Set for a publication date of September 30, here is the table of contents along with the cover, as released Wednesday evening by Editor C.P. Dunphey.

Table of Contents:

(Note: We have decided to go by alphabetical order by author for the stories, since there are just so many high quality pieces.)

And in an ongoing news note, both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are back to offering pretty deep print copy discounts for TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, with the B&N price at $11.28 (compared to a full price of $14.95) and Amazon at $10.65, 25 and 29 percent off, respectively. (For electronic prices, B&N’s Nook is at $8.49, Amazon’s Kindle $8.99.) I don’t know if this is an August thing, or if it will even last through the month — or extend beyond. However, if interested, Barnes & Noble can be checked out here and Amazon here.

On both sites there may be individual sellers as well with copies at even lower prices. But if you find the bargain you want, and like the book too, please consider posting a review of TOMBS at both locations.

Today brought an announcement from Weldon Burge of Smart Rhino Publications, that ZIPPERED FLESH 3: YET MORE TALES OF BODY ENHANCEMENT GONE BAD (cf. April 27, 19, et al.) is headed toward a, hopefully, pre-Halloween release. Just in time for costume suggestions, eh? In this one my story is in final place, the thought to take with one to possibly a ZIPPERED FLESH 4 — or possibly just to hold in one’s own head — and a probably rather benign one at that, called “Golden Age.” And with the announcement, here is the finalized table of contents:

And, speaking of body enhancements gone bad, let us also recall the “other” anthology, YEAR’S BEST BODY HORROR 2017 (cf. May 8), due out tentatively in late September from Gehenna & Hinnom. My story in this is called, simply, “Flesh,” one a bit on the surrealistic side concerning a wealthy man who decides to become fat. More on this, as on ZIPPERED FLESH 3, will be revealed here as it becomes known.

No, the Goth cat Triana’s kibble was on time and eaten; rather the headline refers to Third Flatiron Publishing’s Kurt Vonnegut tribute anthology CAT’S BREAKFAST (see May 17, April 27), also served up on Kindle this morning. That’s Kindle, not kibble, for which via Amazon one may press here, with a paperback edition expected from Createspace in the near future. To quote from the blurb: While satire and humor have long been standard tools of the trade for fiction writers, the authors have channeled the uniquely Vonnegutian attitude into all-original stories that probe and instruct us on themes such as free will, mental illness, social cruelty, loneliness, and family. The book [also] contains a flash humor section. (This from the publisher’s own site, with this next from Amazon) The new “Cat’s Breakfast” anthology from Third Flatiron pays tribute to the imagination and inspiration of the late author Kurt Vonnegut. Emulating Vonnegut’s famous “gallows humor” and skeptical view, these all-original satirical stories are a delightful antidote for the malaise and division plaguing contemporary society.

What more can one ask for? My puss in the purée is “Dead Girls, Dying Girls,” originally published in SO IT GOES, Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing’s 2013 tribute anthology (cf. April 24 2013, et al.), a modern morality tale of sorts of a thoroughly up-to-date young lady, a science fair, and . . . bears.

Then in other news, a third review of TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH is now up on the Amazon site. This is the one from THE GEHENNA POST (cf. June 3), an extremely good description in my opinion, and can be seen in situ by pressing here (where one may note also that Amazon is still offering a substantial discount, but not quite as big as it had once been, so perhaps one might buy now lest the price go up further 😉 ).

“It began innocently enough with a Meet the Author Interview.” So begins Heidi Angell’s entry on her blog, AN ANGELL’S LIFE OF BOOKISH GOODNESS, complete with a link to the interview itself (cf., also, January 10), followed by a note and links for the three guest posts also published on TOMBS over the past several months (cf. May 18, et al.). But that’s not all, even before that Heidi has posted a video of her first impressions which, by way of a preview, you can check out here (or, again, the link is there as well for you). But then comes the main event, for which I can just say “Wow!” Heidi Angell’s review of TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, for which please press here.

If I may quote the last part (a “spoiler,” if one will): I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to think deep thoughts about what they read. For anyone who has an interest in politics, social issues, climate issues, anthropological studies, biomedical, and for the curious who like to imagine how the world could turn out. For me, this was more realistic an outcome than the Divergent series, Hunger Games, or Maze Runner, though definitely not for the same audience. This is a grown up’s view for grown-ups of what a dystopian world could potentially provide. Or again, to read the review as a whole, press here.

It can also be found, with Christine Rains’s earlier review (see June 1) on Goodreads, by pressing here. Also, with C.P. Dunphey’s GEHENNA POST review (see June 3), all three reviews should eventually be on Amazon’s listing for TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, although none have actually appeared there yet (I rather wish Amazon would hurry with it, but then they’re still offering their discount price, so slowness may have its advantages too 😉 ).

We may recall C.P. Dunphey’s interview of me, “Love and Death: An Interview With TOMBS Author, James Dorr” (see May 26), as one homing in in detail on various aspects of TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH itself. Inspiration, ghouls, the use of languages — and where does Vodoun come into the picture? We’ve seen the preview, as it were, but what of the show?

Well, for the main event, really, one should buy the book. A click on its picture in the center column brings more information, or press either of the Amazon or B&L links (both still offer discounts as of today) on May 30’s post, below. But we’ve also seen one review already, by Christine Rains (cf. June 1) — are there not any others?

The answer (surprise!) is yes. First came the interview, then — today — C.P. Dunphey’s review is now up on GEHENNA POST. May I offer a quote?

TOMBS is an unexpected, enigmatic piece that author James Dorr spent years creating. The world is visually stunning, the layers and depths of the universe never faltering in their ability to not only captivate the reader, but to also offer a lending hand in an escape to a world full of wonder and astonishment. From the Old City to the Tombs, every setting is flawlessly illustrated with language poetic and frequently romantic. Dorr crafts his universe with talent unrivaled and unparalleled.

Yes, we said “Friday night” (see post just below), but the Gehenna & Hinnom Books interview of me on TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH is live now! Kudos go to Editor/Interviewer C.P. Dunphey for excellent quickness, as well as great questions on origins, ghouls, use of languages, social cultures, and more. Discover the parts played by whimsy — and guilty pleasures, the influence of Voodoo, and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Little Tramp.” Pre-TOMBS “history.” The long, long path to publication by Elder Signs Press and the inspiration of other authors and books going back to 1485 (and worldviews going back far, far, farther than that). Of keeping one’s place and fun with details. . . .

And so, like a good zombie that just can’t be kept down — not to mention the biggest picture of the book’s cover I’ve seen thus far! — for the “dirt” on TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH be invited to press here.

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About Me

Be on the watch for my newest book, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, a novel-in-stories just released from Elder Signs Press in June 2017. I am an Indiana based short story writer and poet with three primarily prose collections, STRANGE MISTRESSES: TALES OF WONDER AND ROMANCE and DARKER LOVES: TALES OF MYSTERY AND REGRET published by Dark Regions Press and the Bram Stoker Award(R) nominated THE TEARS OF ISIS from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, and an illustrated all-poetry collection, VAMPS (A RETROSPECTIVE), from Sam’s Dot Publishing/ White Cat Publications. I also have a novelette, THE GARDEN (currently out of print) from Damnation Books; electronic chapbooks VANITAS and I’M DREAMING OF A . . . and novelette PEDS from Untreed Reads Publishing; POLUDNITSA in Chamberton Publishing’s “Chimera” short fantasy series; and more than five hundred individual appearances in magazines and anthologies in the US, Canada, Britain, France, Australia, Holland, and Brazil, ranging from ABORIGINAL SCIENCE FICTION and ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE to XENOPHILIA and THE YELLOW BAT REVIEW. In the past I have worked a number of jobs including technical writer, city editor on a regional magazine, full time non-fiction freelancer, and semi-professional musician, and now reside in southern Indiana with current cat, Triana, named for the goth-styled daughter of Dr. Orpheus in the VENTURE BROS. Cartoon Channel series. As a writer, I count as influences (among others) Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, Allen Ginsberg, and Bertolt Brecht.